Kirsten Fontenrose, the National Security Council’s Senior Director for Gulf Affairs, has resigned as of Friday evening, according to officials. Fontenrose had reportedly been the main voice in the White House pushing for tough sanctions against the Saudis for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
There were reportedly some serious arguments within the National Security Council with respect to the US reaction to the murder. It is as yet unclear if Fontenrose was forced out for her position, or resigned voluntarily out of frustration.
From all indications, the White House is opposed to any stance that would risk US-Saudi ties, particularly juicy Saudi arms deals. This has been a matter of contention with other officials, particularly in Congress, who want to see some action taken over Khashoggi’s murder.
The National Security Council has yet to comment on their discussions of the matter, but President Trump has said the full administration reaction to the Saudis will be expected on Monday or Tuesday, and we will no doubt be able to glean much from that when it is released.
By observing the pattern we can conclude that there are teo sides to the Saudi saga treatment in US. Let me only focus on one — the most obvious. The side arguing for fingering Crown Prince as directly ordering the murder is the same one that:
a/ from day one (June 21, 2017) MbS was elevated to Crown Prince by toppling CUA favorite, MbNayaf — declared MbS was reckless and caused Gemen war, and Qatar mess, both ordered by MbN
b/. CIA is coming out with “confidence” in their blame of MbS — same type of confidence they assigned to Rusdia guilt in hacking DNC servers. Servers neither CIA nir FBI examined. And as always, owner of WaPo who runs segments of CIA seems to be OK with this news published in WaPo
c/. same people advocating sanctions without proof are always demanding sanctikns without proof, and same elites in Europe doing same; Germany weakened politically is more in clutches ofvspecial interests then ever
d/ SA probably already knows who ordered and why — and conveniently just before Desert Davos to upend and shake MbS big event.
e/ Trump will cave in sooner or later in spite of kicking out the advocates if “sanctikns before proof”. Bolton’s Mira got kicked out too.
f/ Trump is waiting on Saudis giving him better deal -/ be that of Yemen, Iran or not exposing full extent of the conspiracy in Kashoggi case. As the fingerprints may involve CIA many privatized pockets. He is expecting too much -/ and in the end will have to go with sanctions crowd — hoping that uncomlromising position will yield results in the end.
g/. if Saudi explanation fingers low level advisors — Saudis decided to minimize extent kf the deferiorations of relations. But sanctions crowd will press on, and Saudis will get more obstinent.
Even if the Saudi Crown Prince was not involved how can any anti-war person support this president and this administration which kow-tows to our big weapons producers? That beats me. I cannot understand that. Why would it be in our national interest that Saudi Arabia wins its murderous war in Yemen which has sucked Iran into it? Every war in which we or the Saudi’s or both participate will suck Iran into it: Syria too. Once we have sucked Iran into a war Iran will stay in that war until it’s side wins. In Syria it has a powerful ally: Russia.
This is a debatable and interesting conclusion; Why should mere citizen’s be relegated to gleaning a meaning from tip top administration diplomacy? Even if US intelligence is superior to Chinese or Russian chess masters, should we the people be presumed too stupid to understand upon hearing or reading our great leader’s plan?
“The National Security Council has yet to comment on their discussions of the matter, but President Trump has said the full administration reaction to the Saudis will be expected on Monday or Tuesday, and we will no doubt be able to glean much from that when it is released.”